Rachel Sodee is an associate with Bradley’s Litigation Practice Group. She was recently recognized by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation for being one of the top 30 under 30 professionals and philanthropists.
AALM Why did you choose a legal career?
RS I enjoy reading, writing and talking, and wanted a job that allowed me to do these things every day. It’s what I do, and it fits my personality, skills, and goals perfectly. My C+ in honors chemistry in 10th grade made it clear that I would have no future working in medicine.
AALM Tell about your mentors, and the most important lessons you learned from them.
RS My law firm, Bradley, has an amazing initiative for its female lawyers called Winn. It is named after a former Bradley partner Ellene Winn. Ellene Winn (hired 1942) was the Southeast’s first woman partner. Ellene’s pioneering is at the heart of all we do today as part of Winn. The leaders of Bradley’s Winn initiative are my role models, cheerleaders and friends. They have taught me how to enjoy being an associate, not just how to become one. Ellene Winn paved the way for female attorneys around the world, and I am grateful to the Bradley women for continuing her legacy.
AALM What has changed in your career since you graduated law school?
RS My career as a lawyer is more fulfilling and happy than I could have imagined when I was in law school. I know it sounds corny, but I truly believe in the power and importance of intentionality. In making my decisions, I made sure to be intentional. I asked myself, what would bring me happiness and success in the long term. It was where I am now–as an entertainment and media litigator, working in Nashville and at Bradley. It’s not to say there aren’t days when I wish I worked a 9-5. Overall, I love what I do, and I like where I am.
AALM Tell us about an experience when you had to overcome a personal challenge while maintaining your professional obligations.
RS Like many others, I suffer from depression and anxiety. It can be challenging to deal with depression and anxiety in a career like law, where hours are long, emotions can be high, expectations can be intense. I haven’t found the perfect answer, but there are some things that I find work.
First of all, I have learned that I need to take a break when I feel like it. A nice park is just across the street. If I want to take 30 minutes for myself, I walk around the park on Mondays at 2 pm. I don’t feel guilty about this. I have never felt worse after one of these walks. I feel better and happier after each walk.
Second, I am proud of my successes as well as those of my friends and colleagues. We do this far less often than we should, which is a shame.
Last but not least, I have a large supply of chocolates in my office. Chocolate not only makes me happy, but it’s also nice to have people come into my office multiple times a day, grab a chocolate bar, say hello, and share their stories. This brings me joy even when I am struggling with depression or anxiety.
AALM What would you say to someone just beginning a legal career or considering it?
Don’t be intimidated by your room size. When I arrived at Vanderbilt Law School for the first time, I admit that I was a little shell-shocked. I had never been to a private or top-tier law school, much less one with such impressive students. I was an K-JD student who came from a humble family. I was put in a room full of 1Ls with impressive credentials and degrees and families that were (as it appeared) filled with attorneys. To my surprise, the first semester was a great one. I did not have a fancy degree or a career in law before attending law school. Nor did I have parents who were lawyers to guide me. Instead, I just tried my best.
In my career, I have tried to keep that mentality. Is it scary to be the only person with no experience in a courtroom and handle an entire hearing by myself? Absolutely. If I am confident, prepared and calm, can I still get a good result from my client? Absolutely.
AALM What would surprise your colleagues to know about you?
RS My high school award was Future Lawyer. Just kidding, anyone who knows me (including my co-workers) will agree that this is a very appropriate title!
AALM If you could change anything about your career, what would it be?
RS Of Course. Rachelle, my first legal assistant retired recently after 52 years of (!!!) Career as a legal secretary. She had a simple conversation with me on my first day in the firm, which was essentially “Hey Rachelle, I’m your legal assistant.” If you’re okay with it, I would like to help make you the best lawyer that you can be. I’ve been a legal secretary for two times as long as you, so I may know something that you don’t. I would like to share some tips with you on how to file, discover, etc. Rachelle has taught me more than anyone else, including attorneys, about what it takes to be an attorney. If I had the chance to change anything, I would have spent an entire afternoon with her during my first month in practice so she could give me as much advice as possible. All I learned from her has been valuable.
The first post Rachel Sodee – The Power of Intentionality was published on Attorney at Law Magazine.